CHAPTER 30

Widmanstattën Graphite

Description
Widmanstattën graphite occurs in the microstructure when
contamination from heavy metal occurs. The principal ele-
ment that causes this deleterious structure is lead. The
presence of this graphite structure can decrease the me-
chanical properties by as much as 50%–70% in either gray
iron or ductile iron. Widmanstattën means precipitation on
crystallographic planes. See the three figures below for ex-
amples of graphite precipitation after solidification at varying
magnifications.

Fig. 30-1. Graphite precipitation after solidification is shown at 100X mag-

nification.

Casting Defects Handbook: Iron & Steel 227

Fig. 30-2. Graphite precipitation after solidification is shown at 400X magni-
fication. (Same casting as in Fig. 30-1.)

Fig. 30-3. Graphite precipitation after solidification is shown at 1000X mag-

nification. (Same casting as in Fig. 30-1.)

228 Casting Defects Handbook: Iron & Steel

Causes

1. Casting and Pattern Design

• None

2. Pattern Equipment
• None

3. Flask Equipment and Handling Devices

• None

4. Gating and Risering

• None

5. Molding Sand
• None

6. Core Practice
• None

7. Molding Practice
• None

8. Metal Composition
• Lead content in excess of 5ppm (0.0005%).

9. Melting Practice
• Contamination originated from scrap supplied with
leaded steel
• Contamination from an unknown source with solder
• Contamination from lead originally used as a
weight or ballast that was undetected in scrapped
components

Casting Defects Handbook: Iron & Steel 229

10. Pouring Practice
• None

11. Miscellaneous
• None

230 Casting Defects Handbook: Iron & Steel